Sacrifice
by The-Daughter-of-Rome
Summary: "Please. If love means anything, don't take him away." It's not Jason's oath to keep with a final breath, Piper-you don't have to worry. You got what you asked for. It's Reyna's oath. She'll always protect her friends, no matter the cost... even when they won't protect her. Because she's a praetor, and praetors put duty first. WARNING: GRAPHIC DEATH AND INTENSE VIOLENCE.
1. Sacrifices

**So! An angst-y Jeyna two-shot! Enjoy!**

**Warning: this contains graphic death and suicide. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. **

* * *

_Drop the dagger. It's pointless. You can't win._

The voice of Gaea reverberated in Reyna's mind; it was warm and sleepy. Comforting, even.

Reyna didn't want to agree with the Earth Mother on anything, but she agreed that the fight was pointless.

Oh, it had started well enough. That was, until her javelin broke. Now she only had her dagger, and her hounds.

The twin automaton dogs snarled on either side of her. Their ruby eyes glared at the surrounding Earthborn.

_I could probably take three. But seven to one? _

She didn't even finish the thought. The Earthborn wore broad smiles in their clay faces. They knew she was beaten. Heck, _she_ knew she was beaten.

_We just need your blood, child. It's nothing personal_, Gaea murmured sleepily.

_Shut up. _Reyna sent the thought down into the earth with as much rage as she could muster.

_We can go either way, daughter of Bellona. You chose your own fate._

Reyna ignored the voice. She wished she had someone fighting alongside her.

Unfortunately, she was stuck on her own. As always. Reyna missed the days when she could count on Jason to watch her back.

She remembered the confidence she felt when they stood, back-to-back, facing oncoming monsters. She'd felt like there was no enemy she couldn't defeat.

Now, though? She was just a scared little girl who was outnumbered and trapped.

Her mind raced. She knew magic from her time on Circe's island. So why was it that the monsters needed her blood to fully wake Gaea?

Then she remembered. It had been a boring day, when Circe had no visitors and had decided to educate Reyna further in the magical arts.

* * *

"There's a difference between something taken and something given," Circe says. "Can you guess what it is, Reyna dearest?"

"Um… I guess consent. If someone takes something from you, then you didn't give them permission, right?" ten-year-old Reyna asks.

Circe nods, her vivid eyes sparkling. Circe had always said that Reyna would make a wonderful sorceress someday. Reyna is her best student.

"Yes. And there's a certain power in consent. Take demigod blood, for example."

Reyna gasps.

Circe laughs. "Oh, don't worry. I wasn't going to take your blood. I was just going to teach."

"No one's taking my blood for any reason," the ten-year-old girl exclaims.

The smile fades from Circe's face. "You can't guarantee that. There might come a day when—gods forbid—someone wants you for a sacrifice."

The sorceress continues. "Right, so… um… demigod blood has certain properties. There's a lot of raw magic in it. That's why it's so powerful."

"Is that why the monsters can smell me?"

"Exactly." Circe nods. "You're such a bright little girl. You'll make a powerful sorceress one day—perhaps even greater than the likes of me."

Reyna beams and says, as she usually does, "Oh, but you're the greatest sorceress!"

Circe laughs. "For now, little one. For now." She resumes the lesson. "Now, if there's fear in the blood, and it's taken, then what do you think that would be used for?"

The daughter of Bellona scrunches up her face in concentration. "Uh…it would have a lot of energy. So maybe to power something up?"

"Good, very good. And what if there was love in the blood, and it was given willingly as a sacrifice? Like maybe you had to save someone you cared about."

"Um… I don't know."

Circe looks mildly disappointed for a moment, but tells Reyna the right answer. "It's a very strong protection that wards off evil."

"Oh." Reyna makes a mental note of that, even though she isn't sure why on earth she'd need it.

After all, Circe's island is perfectly safe, right? That's why Hylla had brought her there… right?

* * *

Reyna snapped back to the present. She looked at the golden dagger in her hand.

_Drop it. It's useless. _Gaea laughed.

Reyna took a deep breath to steady her shaking hands. She shut her eyes and braced herself before pressing the blade to her forearm and dragging it across quickly.

She gritted her teeth as a sharp pain, like a red-hot brand, shot through her arm. She forced herself to make more cuts.

They were shallow, though. Only a little blood oozed out. She needed more.

Reyna opened her eyes. Three red lines ran across her forearm.

"I need them to be deeper," she said out loud.

She wanted someone to come rescue her so she didn't have to finish doing what she'd started. But she knew no one would come.

Reluctantly, she plunged the dagger into her arm. The muscle jerked, but she dragged the blade across. She needed to spill the blood.

Tears were streaming down her face. She choked back a sob.

She couldn't be full of fear. She had to be full of love and happiness.

Reyna shut her eyes and tried to think of happy things.

Nothing was coming to mind.

In desperation, she made more cuts in her legs. Blood, bright crimson, oozed out.

She needed happy memories.

_Think happy, Reyna, _she ordered herself, wincing at the pain.

As she mindlessly laced her skin with cuts and crosscuts, she was reminded of a day long ago past…

* * *

"You fell with a knife in your hand and cut yourself?" he demands, standing in front of her. "How? How on earth does a person do that?"

Reyna sighs. She's thirteen years old, with no worry lines etched into her face and less battle scars.

"I don't know," she says. "I just… fell."

"You fell, or you were pushed? There's a big difference."

She doesn't want to seem like a big klutz, so she admits, "Well… someone pushed me."

The boy who's her best friend in the whole legion tenses up. "Who?"

"It doesn't matter." Reyna tries to defuse his anger, but she knows it's too late. Nothing stops Jason I've-Gotta-Be-Perfect-All-the-Time Grace. "Hey, do you want to go get some hot chocolate?"

"Rey, I don't get it. You can stand there so calmly and tell me someone pushed you when you had a knife in your hand, and then go ask me if I want hot chocolate? No. I wanna see someone bleed."

"Here, then," Reyna says, holding up her bandaged hand and wrist.

"No, not you!" He shakes his head, blue eyes flashing. His face is flushed. "What's wrong with you? Are you just going to take that?"

"Yes."

"Tell me who shoved you."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Cause you'll hurt them."

"Don't you want me to?"

"No, I'm perfectly capable of hurting her myself!"

"Aha, so it's a her!"

"No! Well, yes, but… UGH. Jason. Just stop."

"Maybe I don't want to stop."

"If you don't stop, I'm not going to talk to you anymore."

They stare at each other, blue eyes against dark brown, until finally Jason relents.

"Fine. But only because you make better conversation than Kota or Bobby."

Reyna heaves a sigh of relief. "Thank you."

He holds open his arms, and she automatically walks into them. Usually she doesn't like it when people come into physical contact with her, but it's different with Jason. He's her friend, and plus he's warm.

Reyna feels cold when she's all by herself.

But with her personal living jacket, she feels warm.

* * *

The scene changes to another day, a brisk and cloudy one. They're fourteen.

Jason's irritated. He's chewing his lower lip and staring at the sky, brow furrowed.

Reyna tries not to smile. He's been struggling to fly ever since a really bad incident. And he's extremely annoyed that he can't get it right again.

"It has to work this time," he mutters to himself before shutting his eyes and jumping up.

He floats in the air for a few seconds before dropping back down to the ground. Jason growls in frustration and stomps his foot. Reyna can practically see the smoke coming out of his ears.

She bursts out laughing, despite every intention not to.

He whips his head around. "What's so funny?"

"Easy there, Sparky. You're going to explode."

"What did you just call me?"

"Sparky." She smiles at him.

"You know I hate that nickname."

"Well, that's your own fault, isn't it?"

"How?" He tilts his head to the side.

"Showing off with your lightning powers all the time."

"You just jelly of my epic Jupiter powers!" Jason leers.

"Yeah right, Sparky."

"Don't call me that."

"Fine. How about Duracell?"

"Ugh. Please stop with the electricity nicknames."

"Energizer?"

"No."

"Hmm… fine. Pikachu."

"No."

"Pichu."

"Bless you."

"That wasn't a sneeze!" Reyna laughs.

Jason looks at her. "It wasn't?"

"Haven't you ever played a Pokemon game?"

"No. Aw, man! Did Bobby get to you?"

Reyna stays silent.

"He did, didn't he?" Jason sighs.

"I'm gonna call you Pikachu from now on."

"Why, you-!" His eyes widen in mock anger.

Something jerks Reyna up off her feet and into the air.

She kicks and screams. "Jason, stop it!"

"What? I'm not doing anything." He smiles innocently. A little too innocently.

"Jason Grace, put me down!"

"I'm not doing anything," he says, looking up at her.

Reyna was really glad she'd chosen to wear jeans today; if she was wearing her usual skirt… well, that wouldn't have been good.

"You let me down right now," she warns him, arms crossed.

"Mmm… no can do."

"Please."

"Oh my gods, did Reyna just say please? Somebody get a recorder. Reyna just said please."

Reyna rolls her eyes. "I'm serious, Jason."

"So am I." He grins cheekily, and suddenly Reyna starts to fall.

She screams, bracing herself for impact, but Jason catches her.

"Hey, easy there. Don't you trust me?"

His face is right next to hers.

"No," she says. Her heart is pounding, though whether it's from the adrenaline rush or from having him so close to her, she can't tell.

"Good idea," he laughs, and drops her.

She lands on her feet and raises an eyebrow at him. "Aren't you a gentleman."

"Yes. Yes, I am."

* * *

Reyna didn't realize she was smiling until the memory faded, and she was yanked back to reality.

She was grinning from ear to ear, even though tears coursed down her cheeks involuntarily.

She was going numb fast. Reyna checked the damage she'd done.

Crimson liquid dripped out quickly—more quickly than she'd like. At this rate, she'd be gone before very long.

The earth beneath her was stained. Beside her, Aurum and Argentum whimpered.

"Shh, it's okay," Reyna murmured in an attempt to console the dogs. She tried to ignore the confused-looking Earthborn around her.

_You fools, kill her! _Gaea's outraged shout echoed in her mind.

"But she's dying already," one protested.

Reyna smiled faintly.

_Your sacrifice will be for nothing, _Gaea whispered to the daughter of Bellona. _You'll die._

"I don't care," Reyna rasped. Her voice was fading. Everything was fading—her vision was turning black around the edges. "It'll be worth it."

She was clinging on to consciousness at this point, trying to stay happy. She grasped at all the little details she knew and loved—the tiny things that illuminated her life.

The way Hylla's eyes glittered whenever she had an idea.

Circe, teaching her spells and weaving.

Her mother's alabaster statue, standing proud and tall.

The perfect order of her room—not a paper out of place.

The scarlet shine of her hounds' eyes.

Jason's laugh. Jason's smile. The scar on his lip. The color of his eyes. The way the sound of his voice made her smile despite herself.

Oh, Jason. She'd miss him the most of them all, despite everything he'd done.

_You'll never see your Jason Grace again, _Gaea said.

_I'll find him. I always will. _Reyna's eyes were closing, but her lips still stretched into a smile. _You lose, Gaea. You won't ever wake. My life was the cost of the world's safety, and I gladly pay it. _

She was slipping. She knew that she wouldn't ever wake up once her eyes closed.

Her gaze drifted to the sky, for one last look at the world she lived in.

It was cloudy and gray.

_Not what I would've wanted for my last view_, she thought.

Everything fell away from her, and Reyna was left grasping at darkness.

* * *

**Don't worry. I'm posting the epilogue today as well. ^.^ **

**Review! Like it? Love it? Hate it? Doesn't matter! **


	2. Epilogue

**There we go! Epilogue! **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

* * *

"I should've been there to help you."

Jason knew the words were plain and simple. But he couldn't come up with anything better.

His mind was trapped far in the past as he stared uncomprehendingly at the grave. The only thing keeping him anchored to the present was the bunch of roses in his hand.

Honeymoon roses. Jason wasn't sure what they symbolized, but they'd always been Reyna's favorite. She loved the fragrance the yellow flowers emitted.

She was gone now.

So why was it so easy for him to picture her taking the flowers and smiling, then burying her face in petals?

Jason tried to think of something else to say. He blurted, "I'm sorry for all the things I said and didn't say, and I'm sorry I didn't have your back when you always had mine. I'll miss you, and you'll always be one of my best and oldest friends."

He placed the roses—carefully, just as Reyna always used to—on the ground. Then he stepped back quickly before he could do something stupid like cry.

Oh, he would've loved to start crying if Piper wasn't there. He didn't want to hurt her feelings. The problem was, she was always _there for him_, and he was never alone to cry.

He shoved down the emotions that were threatening to explode. Now was not the time to lose it.

Annabeth went next, hand in hand with Percy. They were both somber; Jason knew they'd seen too many deaths before.

"We could've been sisters," Annabeth said. "I wish I could've gotten to know you better, but with the way things turned out…" She didn't finish the sentence.

Percy went next. "Um… I'm sorry for ruining your life four years ago."

Leave it to Percy to say something awkward at a funeral.

The son of Poseidon continued. "I'm also sorry that no one was there for you when you needed them. You were brave, and you were strong, and I don't think anyone else could have done the things you did without going crazy."

Piper, standing next to Jason, gave his hand a squeeze. She had nothing to say at Reyna's funeral, and it was just as well—Reyna probably wouldn't have wanted her to say anything anyway.

Not that Reyna was petty and shallow; this was supposed to be a closed ceremony of her friends and comrades. Piper had never fought by Reyna's side, or really been involved in her life (except for, you know, being Jason's girlfriend and thus throwing Reyna into depression).

Jason felt bad about it, which made him confused. He had nothing to feel bad about… right?

Hazel walked up to him, snapping him out of his reverie.

"Nico told me she got Elysium," she said.

Jason tried for a smile. He should be happy; she deserved it.

"She's not trying for the Isles of the Blest?" he inquired. That was extremely unlike Reyna. She was always an overachiever.

Hazel shrugged. "She was very vague. She said she had people to watch over, and that she'd try for rebirth when the time was right."

"I wonder when that'll be," Jason said.

"Me too."

They stood in silence, until Piper interrupted.

"So… um… what now?"

Jason kept his eyes on the headstone that marked his friend's grave. "I'd like some time by myself, if you guys don't mind… you go on ahead. I'll catch up later."

Piper started to protest, but Hazel grabbed her by the arm and started walking off.

As they left, he heard Hazel say, "Sometimes, you just want to be left alone, you know?"

No, she didn't know. How could she? She was always saying how she wished her dad would spend more time with her.

Jason sat on the slightly dewy grass. The sun was coming up slowly but surely, and he could tell it was going to be a warm day. Just like Reyna's favorite.

Reyna had been used to tropical weather, coming from the island. It had taken her quite a while to get used to the San Francisco climate.

"Well, looks like it's just you and me, Rey."

He spoke the words out loud, just to make himself feel less awkward.

It didn't work. What was he doing?

"I can't really say anything except that I'm sorry. I know how you wanted things to work out. But… well…" He choked up.

"You were one of my oldest friends. I could always count on you. Heck, Annabeth and Percy and the others wondered why I trusted you to slow down the legion on the way to Camp Half-Blood. But… well, before anything else, we were friends. And before that, we were fellow legionnaires. We were tied together by, if nothing else, duty. They don't… they don't really get it. But then, they're not Roman like we are… were."

" 'Were'?" It was a girl's voice, painted with mischief. "You mean 'are,' Sparky. Unless you're going _Graecus_."

He'd know that voice anywhere. "Reyna?" he turned.

And there she stood; looking at him with that usual amused expression.

"Who else?" she answered, and he broke into a grin.

"Wait. But how…?"

Reyna just smiled. Looking more closely at her, he could see that she wasn't entirely… there. Her form looked like it was made of mist; like maybe she would dissolve at any moment.

And suddenly, Jason was afraid she would disappear right before his eyes. It was an illogical, pointless fear, but he was afraid all the same.

"Oh, don't worry," Reyna laughed. "I won't blow away."

"How did you—" he began.

"Being a ghost is a lot like being a god. Well, true, I can't touch anything physical in this realm, but I can… read people better."

"You're not going to… you know, just disappear?"

"I'd only disappear if my will disappeared. And you know me."

"Stubborn as a mule," Jason said.

"Exactly." She looked pleased.

Reyna now seemed so much happier than she'd been when she was alive. She even seemed a bit younger. Or, actually, she appeared to be more her age.

It was so hard to remember that she was only fifteen. Her birthday would be in two months.

"You don't have to worry about losing me, Jason. I'll be watching over you and the others. You'll have my help."

Then a shadow crossed her face. Her eyes darkened.

"I'm sorry, I have to go."

"Can't you stay a bit longer?" He sounded like a whiny child.

She shook her head, lips pressed tightly together. "That little… I'm going to have a _word_ with her!"

And then she simply winked out of existence.

* * *

"Piper, honey! I kept my promise, didn't I?"

Aphrodite was jubilant, her color-shifting eyes merry.

"What… what do you mean?" Piper managed to say. She was utterly dumbfounded by her mother's sudden appearance.

"Don't you remember? You prayed to me. Your exact words were something along the lines of, _'If love means anything, don't take him away.'_ Well, I didn't! I made sure it wasn't Jason's oath to keep."

Piper stared at her mother blankly.

"And now you'll have Jason forever! Isn't that what you wanted, honey? And, at the same time, I made sure he'd never go back to his little _Reyna. _Killing two birds with one stone… that's what they say, right? Although… ugh. Who would want to kill birds?" Aphrodite frowned. "There would be such a mess. And I might chip a nail!"

"Wait." Piper held up a hand. "So you mean… you killed Reyna?"  
"Oh, pish!" Aphrodite waved her hand dismissively. "No. The stupid little praetor killed herself."

"That's not what I meant! You made it her oath to keep with a final breath, didn't you?"

Aphrodite nodded eagerly. "Exactly. Isn't it wonderful? She died a tragic, romantic death by her own hands rather than be taken by Gaea's forces."

"That's horrible!" Piper nearly shouted.

A new figure suddenly appeared, standing beside Piper.

"Your mother's right, though," the girl said bitterly. "She kept her promise. You got what you wanted."

Piper jumped. A mere inch to her right was a girl her age that hadn't been there a moment ago.

And not just any girl.

The girl had long, glossy dark hair that was reminiscent of obsidian. Her eyes were dark and stormy. She carried herself with a powerful dignity that made everyone around her feel inadequate.

Reyna, praetor of the Twelfth Legion.

"I didn't want you to die," Piper defended herself. "I never asked for that."

"We don't ask for a lot of things, and yet we get them," Reyna said. Something about her voice sent shivers up and down Piper's spine. Since death, her voice had taken on a different quality. "I didn't ask Juno to take Jason away. I didn't ask Gaea to try to destroy the world. And least of all, I never asked anyone for a death sentence."

She turned on Aphrodite. "And you. You are a monster."

"I warned you that time you visited me," Aphrodite stated.

"You're cruel and conniving and shallow!"

"Love is cruel. We can't all have happily ever afters, can we?"

Reyna scoffed. "Your daughter once said that when you represented love and beauty, you represented 'being loving and spreading beauty.'"

Piper wondered how the deceased daughter of Bellona knew that when she'd never been there.

"She's wrong. The way her cabin was carried on before? That was the true meaning of your spirit. You're shallow and stupid and weak and whiny. Have you ever been in a war before? You think so many wars are 'beautiful and romantic.' My mother is war. She does NOT go hand in hand with the likes of you! You're pathetic and all you care about is having a nice story!"

"Don't talk to me that way!" Aphrodite's eyes flashed. "Why, I ought to—"

"What can you do to me that you haven't done already?" Reyna lifted her chin defiantly. "You snatched away the only boy I ever trusted or respected! You made it so that I would die, defending everyone I ever loved! I'm dead. You hold no power over me now."

Reyna cast a dark look at Piper. "I hope you understand what love is capable of. Your mother? She isn't love and beauty. She's shallowness. Real beauty comes from within."

"That's a lie," objected Aphrodite. "It's a pitiful lie made up by ugly people who feel bad about their appearances."

"You see?" The daughter of Bellona allowed herself the tiniest of smiles. "This is what is in your blood. This is what you can become. If this is your idea of love, do me a favor and don't be with Jason. He deserves better."

Her form shimmered and faded into thin air.

* * *

Piper did stay with Jason, and she did stay on good terms with her mother. She was, after all, Aphrodite's greatest success.

Jason never truly lost Reyna. Although he kept quiet about it, she visited him twice a week in his dreams. She was there to listen to his problems or take him for a visit with the other friends he'd lost.

Annabeth and Percy eventually got married, after two proposals from Percy. The first time, she'd thought he was joking.

It was a couple weeks until his confidence was back up (with some help from Jason and Nico) and he tried again.

That time, she accepted. They got married a few months after.

Hazel and Frank were engaged, although Hazel and Leo were always good friends.

Leo was always trying to push Jason into giving Piper a ring. He declined, however, for reasons he preferred not to say.

After two years, however, Reyna suddenly was absent from Jason's dreams. He asked Nico to look for her in the Underworld, but she'd chosen rebirth.

Soon after, Annabeth and Percy had their first child: a baby girl. They invited all their friends to their daughter's first-month-of-life party to celebrate her turning one month old.

Nico knew as soon as he saw the little girl. Jason knew, too, after some initial disbelief.

Jason walked up to Annabeth, who was holding the baby in her arms.

He peered into the baby's gray eyes (she had her mother's eyes, and her father's dark hair), and smiled.

"Hi, Reyna."

Annabeth's eyes widened in surprise.

But who else could the daughter be? When she'd been born, she hadn't cried. She rarely ever did. She always seemed to be analyzing the people around her.

As Jason said her previous life's name, the baby smiled.

Darcy Jackson, as she was named, grew into a girl every bit as intimidating and beautiful as her mother. And although she didn't remember who she used to be, she always felt close to her Uncle Jason.

He was more protective over her than her own father.

He never wanted to lose her again.


End file.
